Second post-border detection of brown marmorated stink bug in Victoria

Agriculture Victoria is responding to a detection of brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) in a Dandenong South warehouse.

Agriculture Victoria is the state lead for agricultural biosecurity in Victoria, responding to detections and suspect reports for plant pests.

Agriculture Victoria has commenced trapping and tracing activities within a two-kilometre radius of the detection point in Dandenong South.

This is Victoria’s second post-border detection of the BMSB. The bug was also found in Clayton on 14 December 2018 with surveillance activities continuing in that area. The two incidents are unrelated.

There is a heightened risk of BMSB entering Australia by hitchhiking on imported goods between September and April. This coincides with autumn and winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The bugs will commonly hitch a ride in shipping containers, vehicles and other imported goods entering Australia.

The federal Department of Agriculture and Water Resources put in place strengthened biosecurity measures offshore and at the border for the 2018-19 season and has been intercepting and treating high risk imported goods.